An American Seafarer in the Age of Sail

Download or read book An American Seafarer in the Age of Sail written by Barry Richard Burg and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1994-01-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philip Van Buskirk enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1846, when he was twelve years old. Beginning in 1851, he recorded his thoughts and experiences on board ship, providing a firsthand account of the countries he visited, the brawling nation in which he lived, and the everyday life and homoerotic exploits of the sailors and marines who sailed with him. In this intimate portrait, the author draws on Van Buskirk's unconventional and revelatory diaries and on social, religious, and medical writings of the time.